This is the moment the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge dropped off their "gang" for their first day at school.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis looked confident and happy as they were accompanied by their parents. Louis, four, is beginning full-time education and was joined by his nine-year-old brother and seven-year-old sister for his big moment at private Lambrook School near Ascot in Berkshire on Wednesday.
Prince William called his children "all the gang" as he ushered them up the steps of the large white 19th-century country mansion, and said the three of them were looking forward to starting. The family walked in a line, with Kate holding George and Louis' hands and William holding Charlotte's, to meet headmaster Jonathan Perry.
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"Welcome to Lambrook," Mr Perry told the children. "It's lovely to have you with us. We're very excited for the year ahead." Shaking them each by the hand in turn, he asked "Are you excited?" with all three chorusing "Yes". Prince William remarked "We're looking forward to it," adding the children had "lots of questions".
Mr Perry's wife Jenny, who works in the pastoral team, was waiting in the doorway and greeted them with "Welcome back to Lambrook", with the the Duke of Cambridge quipping "With all the gang". The youngsters were dressed in summer uniforms, with George and Louis in checked short-sleeved white shirts and navy shorts and Charlotte in a blue belted gingham dress.
William and Kate went inside with the children for refreshments before George, Charlotte and Louis went to their new classroom to meet their teachers and other students. Their arrival at Lambrook was captured for the history books by just three members of the media - one PA news agency photographer, one BBC cameraman and one reporter, forming the royal rota, supervised by one Kensington Palace press officer.
Those present were asked not to film on their mobile phones, to make sure the children were not faced with screens. About half a dozen protection officers, dressed discreetly, kept carefully out of sight, with no other members of the media permitted to attend, in order to keep the afternoon calm and relaxed for the children.
Prep school Lambrook, where fees are costing William and Kate more than £53,000 a year, has been described by parents as "magical". It boasts of giving its pupils "feathers to fly" and features 52 acres of grounds and state of the art buildings and resources.
The Good Schools Guide describes it as a "classic prep school" with a "heart of gold", and says youngsters get to "run and run" in the vast grounds with "total freedom to explore, provided you've got your wellies on". The children will be day pupils, but Lambrook also offers weekly and occasional boarding.
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